How to draw attention

After an exciting start I relaxed in the Shinkansen for the next 45 minutes and took out my knitting. So the following scene was set:
There was an elderly Japanese couple seated across the aisle. Once the lady noticed me knitting socks she took out her glasses to see better what I was doing. After a short while – I am not mentioning all the bows and smiles from now on between us – she crossed the aisle, grabbed my socks and carefully examined the pattern by stretching the knitting. I did not understand her comment but since she pointed to the foot part I supposed she was amazed and lifted my leg to show her my long feet for Japanese standards. She sat down on the empty seat next to me and started a conversation which I could not follow. As I presumed that she asked me where I am from, this is a question which I was asked all the time, I answered DOITSU, „Ah, she said, and answered with a torrent of words. This time I could make out some European capitals, Budapest, Prague... Obviously she had been traveling. Once she mentioned Munich, I pointed out that this was my home city, Oh, she said and gleamed. We both smiled very pleased.

Knitting seems to be rather uncommon in Japan nowadays. Another day the business man next to me on the train stopped reading his paper when I started knitting and told me that the last person he saw knitting was his grandmother - and this was the beginning of a pleasant conversation.